A CIVIC SERVICE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12539, 10 May 1915, Page 8

A CIVIC SERVICE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.')

His Worship the Mayor and the members of the Wainiato Borough Council ■attended Divine service at St. Augustine's Church yesterday morning. The Rev. A. Julius officiated and selected part of the. 6th verse. 13th chapter. St.. Paul's, epistle to the Romans —"For they are ministers of God," as his text. The preacher said that although St. Paul's words had often been wrongly used to support, the claim of kings and Divine authority, yet their correct .application taught a sublime truth: that those appointed to. look after the material welfare of their fellows were carrying out God's plan and weio His ministers. Duty to the State had alwavs. been taught by the Church, and the early Christians even when suffering /persecution -from the hands of the State were always taught by -their preachers and writers to render obedience to the civil authorities. We claimed that England, was. the freest country in the world, and the. British Parliament was admitted to be. the mother of Parliaments., Few, however, realised the extent to which this condition was indebted. to ■ the old municipalities and guilds. History showed that they had fought long and constantly in upholding the right of the State' against .the claims of the kings and executive. It was owing to the efforts of these bodies of men that no King of England had ever been able to say as did King Louis XIV. of France: "I am the State." Men trained, in the old municipalities and merchant guilds, had become members of Parliament and, bringing their training in local administration to bear, had laid the foundation upon which theBritish' Parliament, as the mother of Liberty, has been erected: While the ordinary work of a borough council : —dealing as it did- with roads, drains, and water supply—might not be of nit inspiriting nature, they could from th? words of St. Paul draw inspiration, and remembering that they wore ministers of God they "would realise- that while material - considerations were essential, the moral was of even greater importance. The late Admiral Mahah had said "that material consideration would never put an, end to war. The moral force alone would over be able to prevent war." In the present war they had proof of this —that material or economic reasons were'futile in preventing ::\ world-wide calamity. The preacher regretted that the old custom of speaking of a man's "calling" had given wav to .such terms as "business," "trade," or "job." He believed that men were "called" to the counting-house, factory, and shop equally .as sure .as men were called 'to be preachers,, and he asked those present to believe that they.were "called" to work on the Council and committees, and keeping in mind St. Paul's words as an inspiration devote their efforts to the improvement and service of the State, both materially ; and morally, and so show that they j realised that thrv were ministers 'of God. . ' •